Participants who register for this course have the option to attend the course live-online and/or watch the recording later. The recording will be available to all registrants for a 6-week period and access is provided on the next business day following the course. This allows participants who may not be able to attend live-online to still benefit from the content. To facilitate attendance tracking, please indicate on your registration form if you won't be attending live.

Description:

Stay Current. Stay Inspired. Stay Connected.

Join us each month for Hot Topic Sessions - a dynamic mentorship initiative designed to keep pelvic health professionals up to date on the latest clinical trends, evidence-based practices, and emerging research. Led by expert guest speakers in the field, these interactive webinars are crafted to enhance clinical reasoning, stimulate peer engagement, and support knowledge translation into everyday practice. Whether you're looking to refresh your knowledge, challenge your thinking, or strengthen your clinical toolbox, Hot Topic Sessions offer an engaging and convenient way to grow professionally—one month at a time.

Program format:

• Monthly live Zoom sessions with 6-week recording access available for registrants.
• Curated topics that address clinical complexity, innovation, and best practices.
• Emphasis on practical application and decision-making.
• Supportive learning environment to build community and confidence.
• Live attendance is preferred, but registrants will receive 6-week recording access to each session.
• Flexible entry - sign up anytime and enjoy 6 consecutive months of access (no skipping months; starts from your registration date or the following month if you join after that month’s session).

Speakers/Topics:

• September 2026 - Rachel Fobert - When Constipation Doesn’t Resolve: What Might Be Missing?
• October 2026 - Dr. Beth Shelly - Pre- and Post-Operative Care for Men Undergoing Prostatectomy – More Than Just Kegels
• November 2026 - MJ Forget - Risk Factors for Postpartum Urinary and Fecal Incontinence: Early Identification in Pregnancy
• December 2026 - Susan Clinton - Neuro-Mechanical Approaches to Bowel Dysfunction: Pelvic Floor, Nervous System, and Emerging Interventions
• January 2027 - Bianca Sprague - Breaking the Fear-Tension-Pain Cycle: The Pelvic Floor's Role in Birth Prep
• February 2027 - Fiona Rogers - A Practical Approach to the Clinical Management of Pelvic Pain
• March 2027 - Lara Desrosiers - Applications of CBT in Pelvic Health: Practical Strategies for Clinical Care
• April 2027 - Gráinne Donnelly - Diastasis - The Current State of Science and What it Means for Clinicians
• May 2027 - Michelle Lyons
• June 2027 - Teresa Waser - A Biopsychosocial Approach to Addressing Pelvic Health Concerns, Pain, and Performance

Please note: The speaker line-up is subject to change.

Audience: Open to all healthcare and wellness professionals

Date/time: The second Wednesday of every month from 7:00-9:00pm ET. Please convert to your local time zone.

Speaker Descriptions

When Constipation Doesn’t Resolve: What Might Be Missing? - Rachel Fobert

This 2-hour webinar will review the evidence-based treatment of men before and after prostate removal for cancer. This wholistic approach includes general exercise, diet and bowel care, activity restrictions, and a comprehensive pelvic floor muscle training program including strength, endurance and coordination. Clinical case examples will be discussed. Bring your questions and listen to the most up to date evidence on the treatment of these challenging cases.

Objectives:

• Provide evidenced based description of male pelvic floor muscle contraction.
• List components of a comprehensive pelvic floor muscle training program for men before and after prostate removal.
• Develop a wholistic pre and post operative program for men undergoing prostatectomy for cancer including education and exercise.

Bio:

Dr. Beth Shelly PT, DPT, WCS, BCB PMD is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and board certified in Women's Health and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Biofeedback. Beth has been working in the field of women’s health for over 35 years and is the women's health editor for both "Pathology for Physical Therapists" and "Differential Diagnosis for Physical Therapists" textbooks. In 2010 Dr. Shelly started the Pelvic PT Distance Journal Club which now has over 1300 members all over the world and presents journal reviews monthly in English and Spanish. In addition, she has been active in setting standard terms and definitions with the International Continence Society (ICS) as past member of the Physiotherapy Committee and the Standardization Committee and an author and co-chair on three working groups including the recently published ICS standard terms for Pelvic Floor Muscle assessment. Dr Shelly is the physical therapy representative on the American Urological Association clinical practice guidelines on assessment and treatment of male pelvic pain recently published. She lectures to medical professionals all over the world and owns a private practice in the United States where she treats outpatients with all forms of pelvic floor dysfunctions.  

Risk Factors for Postpartum Urinary and Fecal Incontinence: Early Identification in Pregnancy - MJ Forget

Pregnancy and vaginal delivery significantly impact the pelvic floor - yet not every pregnant client develops postpartum urinary or fecal incontinence.

Are there identifiable risk factors during pregnancy that can help us better anticipate and manage these issues?

This practical, evidence-based session will equip physiotherapists with current knowledge to effectively screen pregnant clients. You’ll learn to identify both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors and apply targeted early intervention strategies.

Objectives:

• Describe the clinical presentation/pathophysiology of postpartum urinary and fecal incontinence.
• Explain how pregnancy and vaginal delivery affect the pelvic floor, pudendal nerves, and connective tissues.
• Identify modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors associated with postpartum urinary and fecal incontinence.
• Recognize the associated risk factors for obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASI)
• Apply early management strategies for pregnant clients at high risk of postpartum urinary or fecal incontinence.

Bio:

Marie-Josée F. Forget, PT – A graduate of the University of Ottawa’s Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy program (1995), MJ began her post-graduate studies in pelvic health in 1997. Born and raised in Sudbury, MJ recognized the importance of offering this much needed service in Northern Ontario. She is a pioneer in this field and was the first physiotherapist to offer pelvic health services in Northern Ontario. She is fully bilingual and treats pelvic health issues for all genders. MJ began to teach with Pelvic Health Solutions as an associate instructor in 2011 and truly enjoys giving back to her profession. She is involved in mentoring clinicians and medical students from the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and provides continuing education for physicians, nurse practitioners and other allied health professionals. MJ has been invited to speak at many conferences, workshops, and symposiums on the topic of pelvic health. She regularly attends international conferences and takes pride in keeping herself up to date on current pelvic health research. MJ has co-authored two published research papers looking at the association between lumbopelvic pain and pelvic floor dysfunction and predictors of pelvic floor muscle dysfunction among women with lumbopelvic pain. MJ has authored a article on how to set up a trauma sensitive practice in pelvic health for the Canadian Physiotherapy Association Pain Science Division intitled “Une pratique sensible pour la physiothérapie en santé pelvienne”

MJ has been drawing anatomy images since her university days and has developed an anatomical model of the pelvic floor muscles which is sold internationally to health professionals. You can find her models on www.totalpelvichealth.ca. MJ is a member of International Continence Society, International Pelvic Pain Society, International Urogynecological Association, and the Women’s Health Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association.

Neuro-Mechanical Approaches to Bowel Dysfunction: Pelvic Floor, Nervous System, and Emerging Interventions - Susan Clinton

Chronic constipation, IBS, and functional bowel disorders are often approached through dietary and symptom-based strategies, yet many patients continue to struggle with persistent symptoms, frustration, and limited progress. This webinar introduces a more integrated, pelvic floor–informed approach that bridges gastrointestinal function, neuromuscular coordination, and nervous system regulation.

Participants will explore how pelvic floor dysfunction, abdominophrenic dyssynergia (APD), and altered autonomic states contribute to bowel symptoms, and how these drivers can be identified in clinical practice. The session will highlight emerging and underutilized interventions including nervous system regulation strategies, transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS) for fecal incontinence and fissures, and rectal balloon training to improve sensory-motor coordination.

This presentation is designed to provide practical, immediately applicable tools to expand clinical reasoning and improve outcomes for patients with complex bowel presentations.

Objectives:

• Differentiate key drivers of bowel dysfunction in patients with chronic constipation and IBS, including pelvic floor coordination impairments, APD, and nervous system influences.
• Apply  evidence-informed intervention strategies—including nervous system regulation, TTNS, or rectal balloon training—to address bowel dysfunction in clinical practice.
• Integrate a pelvic floor–informed framework to guide treatment planning for complex GI presentations beyond traditional dietary and medication-based approaches.

Bio:

Susan is an award-winning physical therapist in professional achievement and the owner of LTI Physio in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Susan is board certified in orthopedic and women’s health physical therapy, a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Therapy, and a board certified health and wellness coach. She is an international instructor/mentor of post-professional education in women’s health (including GI issues in women), orthopedic manual therapy, health/wellness coaching and business psychology. She is on faculty at Andrews University in the Doctor of Science in PT program, a Master Coach for the Integrative Women’s Health Institute, and a clinical faculty instructor for the North American Institute of Orthopedic Manual Therapy and ASPIRE.  She is also an active author in research and blog posts, and is an active professional/clinical mentor. Susan is the co-founder and board member for the foundation: Global Women’s Health Initiative. She is also the co-host of the 5 five-star podcast, “Tough to Treat,” the guide to treating complex patients, and “The Genius Project,” reframing the treatment of persistent musculoskeletal pain. Susan enjoys walking / hiking, country line dance and ballroom, and is an avid supporter of music, the arts, and international objectives for women’s health.

Breaking the Fear-Tension-Pain Cycle: The Pelvic Floor's Role in Birth Prep - Bianca Sprague  

Fear changes how the body moves through labour. When a pregnant client is scared, tense, or bracing for pain, the pelvic floor feels it too, and that tension can shape the whole birth experience.

In this session, we will dig into the fear-tension-pain cycle and what it actually means for the muscles you work with every day. You will learn how to talk about birth with your pregnant clients in a way that builds confidence instead of fear, how to help them prepare their body, their team, and their environment so their muscles can work together instead of against each other, and how to support them in advocating for and protecting their body and pelvic floor in the birth room.

We will cover what to say (and what not to say), what real advocacy can look like in the birth space, and why this work matters so much for a positive labour and birth experience.

If you have ever been curious about how doula support and pelvic floor physio work together, you are going to love this one. Bianca will also share how physios fit into bebo mia's doula programs for those who want to go even deeper.

Objectives:

• Explain the fear-tension-pain cycle and how fear-based responses in pregnancy translate into physical tension in the pelvic floor.
• Identify language patterns, both helpful and harmful, when discussing birth with pregnant clients, and apply more supportive language in clinical conversations.
• Guide clients in preparing their birth space, support team, and environment in a way that supports pelvic floor and full-body coordination during labour.
• Recognize signs of fear and bracing in clients and integrate prenatal strategies that support a more positive labour and birth experience.
• Describe practical ways clients can advocate for and protect their body and pelvic floor during birth, including what that advocacy can look like in real time in the birth space.
• Identify the connection between pelvic floor physiotherapy and doula support, and understand how the two roles complement each other in prenatal and birth care.

Bio:

Bianca Sprague is the founder of bebo mia inc, a full spectrum doula, educator, and birth worker trainer with almost two decades of experience in the field. She has supported hundreds of families directly and trained 1000s of doulas in more than 55 countries through her school. Bianca's work focuses on the intersection of birth education, mental wellness, and trauma informed care, and she is passionate about helping perinatal professionals understand how fear and the body are connected during pregnancy and birth. When she is not doing birth work, you will likely find her roller skating, quilting, or wandering in the woods

A Practical Approach to the Clinical Management of Pelvic Pain - Fiona Rogers

Due to the recent worldwide increase in awareness and research in the field of pelvic pain, particularly the diagnoses that affect females (AFAB) such as primary and secondary dysmenorrhea and endometriosis, we are seeing many more patients presenting with an array of symptoms to our clinics. Pelvic pain significantly affects quality of life and the ability to function day to day. How it presents and affects each person varies and requires an individualized plan.

Alongside the manual physical therapy approaches we use in clinic, it is important to empower our patients with strategies for self-management that can be used adjunctively to medical, physical and psychological treatments in order to embrace a biopsychosocial framework.

This session will aim to cover practical ways to help your patients with pelvic pain. There will be a focus on those approaches that can be used for self-management in order to assist patients to regain a degree of control over how they can help their pain especially when it recurs regularly. We often talk about a toolbox of treatment methods. Patients also need a toolbox of management skills.

Objectives:

• Identify some of the causes of persistent pelvic pain.
• Identify physiotherapy techniques which may be useful in clinic. Identify self-management strategies.
• Identify self-management strategies.
• Discuss how we would implement all of these within an individualized patient management plan by exploring several case studies.

Bio:

Fiona graduated with her Bachelor of Physiotherapy from The University of Queensland in 1984 and Post Graduate Diploma of Exercise and Sport Science from Sydney University in 1988. She has worked in many settings across the public and private sectors including the Defence Force and for many years was a partner in a large private practice group on the Sunshine Coast, Australia establishing the women’s health service and mentoring all new staff.

For 15 years, Fiona owned the website ‘Pelvic Floor Exercise’, Australia’s most trusted source of products for pelvic floor rehabilitation, servicing hospitals, health professionals and customers. Although she sold the business in 2025, Fiona continues to work as a consultant for the new owners.

She currently works part-time in a private multi-disciplinary pain clinic, seeing pelvic pain patients referred by the team.

Since 2019 Fiona has taught her advanced level courses for health professionals on neuromodulation for pelvic health and she teaches an introductory version of this for PHS each year.

Fiona has published a number of peer-reviewed papers and co-authored several chapters in the recently published textbook Sports Medicine and the Pelvic Floor.

She has presented around the world on topics covering electrical stimulation, products and pelvic pain and finds immense personal satisfaction in helping others to approach patient care in a supportive, collaborative manner.

Applications of CBT in Pelvic Health: Practical Strategies for Clinical Care - Lara Desrosiers

Pelvic health presentations are often shaped by more than tissue alone. Client beliefs, fear, and behavioural responses can meaningfully influence symptom persistence, recovery, and engagement in care, particularly in more complex or persistent cases.

This session introduces practical, CBT-informed strategies that physiotherapists can integrate into everyday pelvic health practice, with a focus on clinical reasoning and decision-making. Participants will explore collaborative empiricism, Socratic dialogue, and targeted behavioural approaches to better understand and influence the relationship between symptoms, thoughts, and behaviour.

Through case-based discussion, attendees will apply these concepts to common pelvic health scenarios.

Objectives:

• Use collaborative empiricism to shift from a directive to a co-investigative approach in pelvic health care, supporting clients in exploring and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviours
• Identify common cognitive and behavioural patterns that may influence pelvic health symptoms and recovery
• Apply Socratic dialogue to explore client beliefs and support the development of more flexible and helpful perspectives
• Design simple behavioural experiments and graded exposure strategies tailored to common pelvic health presentations
• Apply CBT-informed strategies to pelvic health case scenarios by identifying client patterns and selecting appropriate, context-sensitive interventions

Bio:

Lara Desrosiers, MSc. OT Reg. (Ont.) is an Occupational Therapist whose work is grounded in supporting individuals navigating the complex and often overlooked intersections between pelvic health and mental health. Through her practice, Pelvic Resilience, she works with people experiencing pelvic health challenges and persisitent pain to get back to living life. Lara brings a strong foundation in mental health and psychotherapy to her work, integrating approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Pain Reprocessing Therapy, Polyvagal Theory, and Sensory Processing. Her approach is trauma-informed and occupation-centred, with a focus on restoring agency, connection, and confidence in everyday life.

In addition to her clinical practice, Lara is a published author and respected educator. She has been a faculty member with Pelvic Health Solutions, Reframe Rehab, and the Enhanced Recovery After Delivery (ERAD) program. She teaches sought after psychologically-informed practice courses with AMP Healthcare Education including CBT Skills for Distressing Physical Symptoms and ACT: A Practical Guide for Rehabilitation Professionals. She has partnered with Lindsey Vestal of the Functional Pelvis to develop the Trauma-Informed Pelvic Health Practitioner Program. Lara also mentors occupational therapists and students across Canada, many of whom are eager to work in the field of pelvic health but unsure of where or how to begin. Through this work, she continues to advocate for the visibility and integration of occupational therapy into Canadian pelvic health care at both grassroots and national levels.

Diastasis - The Current State of Science and What it Means for Clinicians -  Gráinne Donnelly

This session will outline the current state of science and contemporary developments informing our understanding of Diastasis Rectus Abdominis and demonstrate application to practice through a case example

Objectives:

• Learn about the current evidence informing understanding of diastasis rectus abdominis
• Gain insight into what we currently do not know about diastasis rectus abdominis
• Understand how to interpret and apply the scientific evidence to clinical practice
• Discuss a case example

Bio:

Gráinne Donnelly is an advanced practice pelvic health physiotherapist, doctoral researcher and international educator. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy and the Editor of a new scientific textbook Sports Medicine and the Pelvic Floor - Science to Practice. Her research and clinical expertise focus on diastasis rectus abdominis, postpartum return to running and pelvic floor dysfunction in sport.

Schedule

Dates/time: The second Wednesday of every month from 7-9pm ET.

Delivery Format

Live attendance is not mandatory for this online course. Enjoy a 6-week period to access and review the course recording, which is sent out on the next business day. We understand that life can be busy, which is why we offer you the freedom to access the course recording(s) during the time-limited viewing period.